Tuesday, November 23, 2004

IMAGE COMICS FOR FEBRUARY

Following are Image Comics' solicitations for February, with information coming from the company.

THE AMAZING JOY BUZZARDS #3

Written by Mark Smith, art and cover by Dan Hipp.

"The Amazing Joy Buzzards Go Hollywood!" Lights! Camera! Adventure! The Amazing Joy Buzzards manager Dalton Warner is seething at the kids for signing a movie contract without his permission as the gang heads for Hollywood to transform themselves into screen icons. At the studio the kids run into Brick Brannigan, internationally famous actor/stuntman. Things go terribly wrong during one of his stunts and the Buzzards soon discover that Brick's life is in danger. Who's trying to bump Brick off and why? Could it be a terrible Tiki curse?

32 pages, black and white, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 9.

THE ATHEIST #1

Written by Phil Hester, art by John McCrea, cover by ken Meyer Jr.

Our world has dark corners normal people refuse to enter. They are populated by unspeakable things that defy logic and feed on fear. But these beings do have a natural predator in the form of Antoine Sharpe. He's a scalpel on two legs bent on cutting out the disease infesting the human race, even if it kills the patient. A misanthropic genius and heartless hero, he's better known to his government handlers as simply...the Atheist.

The dead are restless. Rather than wait for judgment, they have escaped the afterlife and are forcing themselves into the bodies of the living. Reincarnation rapists, joyriders, they use their new bodies with abandon, leaving shattered lives in their wake. When government security is compromised by the possession of an intelligence community insider, the Atheist is called in to turn back an invading army of lost souls. A Desperado Publishing Production.

32 pages, black and white, $3.50, in stores on Feb. 9.

BATTLE HYMN #3

Written by B. Clay Moore, art by Jeremy Haun, color by Dave Bryant, cover by Haun and Brian Frey.

In the wake of a disastrous first mission, the death of a hero sparks a renewed focus on why the team was assembled in the first place. It's the turning point for Watchguard, and to make matters worse, there's a murderer in their midst.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 2.

BIG BANG PRESENTS: ULTIMAN FAMILY #1

Written by Gary Carlson and Jeff Pedigo, art by Greg Kirkpatrick and Mike Kirsten, cover by Jeff Weigel.

The radioactive meteor that collided with a Gemini space capsule in 1964 killed one of the astronauts but transformed the other into the Ultimate Human Being! For forty years, Chris Kelly has fought evil and injustice as Ultiman, inspiring other heroes of the Big Bang universe.

Ultimanıs girl Friday, Lori Lake, must work overtime when a chimpanzee in the space program develops super powers and makes a monkey out of Ultiman in ³The Ultimate Ape!² Also in this issue: When Ultragirl travels to the future to honor a fallen comrade, she and the Pantheon of Heroes face their deadliest foe ever in ³Legion of the Dead!² Plus, Thunder Girl models new costumes designed by readers.

32 pages, $3.50, in stores on Feb. 2.

BURGLAR BILL #3

Written, art and cover by Paul Grist.

Special all Police Constable Kelvin Flats issue. Police Constable Flats is a community Policeman. Unfortunately, his idea of policing involves arresting the entire community! Follow Constable Flats on night patrol as he tries to make it through to morning without arresting anybody. A revised reprinting of Burglar Bill from Dancing Elephant Press, this issue also includes a bonus Kelvin Flats story as he takes on the popular childrenıs entertainer, Mister Floppsie Whoppsie.

40 pages, black and white, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 2.

CASE FILES: SAM & TWITCH #17

Written by Marc Andreyko, art by EJ Su, cover by Greg Capullo.

"Ancient Chinese Secret, Huh?" Part Four of Six. The floors of a Chinatown temple run red with blood, and Sam and Twitch are caught in the crossfire! As the whispers of vampiric gangsters fill the streets, Sam and Twitch discover an alarming clue: bungee cords?

32 pages, black and white, $2.50, in stores on Feb. 2.

CHOLLY AND FLYTRAP #4

Written, art and cover by Arthur Suydam.

The kick-ass conclusion of "Center City." The story reaches a climax as definitive anti-heroes Cholly and Flytrap find themselves knee-deep in a mucky feud between power brokers Luvitz and Hobbs. The shanghaied Flytrap is stepping onto the canvas with a brutal meat grinder, The Champ, to settle the feud once and for all. But will Flytrap walk away alive? What happens when the mayhem leaps outside the boxing ring? And who will or will not get out of the way in time? The finish to Suydam's grim film noir action adventure set in the futuristic cesspool of a corrupt human outpost.

48 pages, $4.95, in stores on Feb. 9.

DAWN: THREE TIERS #5

Written, art and cover by Joseph Michael Linsner.

After many years of questing, renegade swordsman Darrian Ashoka finally believes he has found a suitable replacement for Dawn, the love of his life. Queen Calypso welcomes Darrian to her inner sanctum as well as into her heart. But Darrian's disgust over the hypocrisy with which she rules her kingdom eventually forces him to turn his back on her. Unfortunately for Darrian, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 16.

DEITY: REQUIEM

Written by Robert Place Napton, art by Michael OıHare and Aries Mendosam colors by Michael Kelleher.

Jamie, a teenage girl who lives in the L.A. of tomorrow, learns a shocking secret: she's actually the Deity, a goddess of immense power. Aided by a hot-blooded Gunslinger, a young Shaolin Monk and a Dragon Prince, she tries to cope with her destiny and maintain some semblance of a normal life in the face of constant danger from the Ma'Shiva: savage aliens bent on her destruction.

The Lost Chapter Of The Deity Saga! Jamie, The Deity, is missing. She's been kidnapped by the Dark Gods and the mysterious Lord Pyre. A band of warriors and bickering rivals form an uneasy alliance in a desperate bid to save her and prevent a cosmic shockwave that could tear the very threads of reality! Is this the end? This 50-page epic ushers in an exciting new chapter.

56 pages, $6.95, in stores on Feb. 16.

DEITY COLLECTED EDITION VOL. 1 and 2

Written by Robert Place Napton and Karl Altstaetter, art by Karl Altstaetter, colors by Brian Buccellato.

Vol. 1 collects Deity #1-3. Features exclusive cover by Karl Altstaetter, rare sketch book, cover gallery and exclusive pages not found anywhere else. Jamie spends her days at school and her evenings delivering Chinese food for her Uncle's take-out restaurant. On the eve of her 16th birthday, she's too busy with her troubled love life to notice the forces converging around her.

Vol. 2 collects Deity #4-6. Features exclusive cover by Karl Altstaetter, cover gallery featuring rare Jeff Matsuda cover and exclusive pages not found anywhere else. The Soul Crusher attacks the Shaolin Temple as an unsuspecting Jamie prepares for her first date with Ziggy. Kung-Fu Action! A Fire Breathing Dragon! The epic conclusion to the first Deity mini-series.

80 pages each, $7.95 each, in stores on Feb. 16.

DETONATOR #4

Written by Mike Baron, art and cover by Mel Rubi and Barbara Kaalberg.

This is the Big One. Detonator has set in motion forces he cannot control, pitting crime boss against crime boss, with the fate of the world in the balance. The extravagant cruise condo known as the Floating City is actually the worldıs biggest bomb, and it's headed for the Panama Canal. In Montana, the feds close in on Detonator, as he closes in on Manglebaum.

32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Feb. 9.

A DISTANT SOIL #38

By Colleen Doran.

The rebel leader has a deadly biological weapon to terrorize the enemy: the Terminal Decrepitude Virus, a disease that will cause the vain and beautiful Hierarchy to age and die. But the Hierarchy holds the fate of Earth in their hands and if the rebellion doesn't surrender, they will release the power of their young Avatar and destroy the Earth.

40 pages, black and white, $4.50, in stores on Feb. 23.

THE EXPATRIATE #1

Written by B. Clay Moore, art and cover by Jason Latour.

Jack Dexter is a man on the run. He knows who he's running from (the CIA), but he doesn't know why. All he knows is that he canıt be caught, dead or alive. So his flight takes him across the globe, in a desperate attempt to stay one step ahead of his pursuers. And that's a good thing. Because Jack won't like what happens when he's finally caught.

Jack's run takes him to a tiny banana republic, where he stumbles into a problem named Maria. CIA agents Conrad and Murphy aren't too far behind, and they're not afraid to take out anyone in their path. Jack is caught between a beautiful girl, a local politician and two coldblooded bastards intent on bringing his body home to the States. When all is said and done, no one escapes unscathed.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 23.

FRANKENSTEIN MOBSTER, VOL. 1: MADE MAN TP

Written, art and cover by Mark Wheatley.

Terry Todd was a good cop and he tried to be a good father. He named his daughter Terri and his dedication inspired her to become a Police Detective. But when he died, he became a monster with a body patched together from three ruthless mobsters. Now he fights for inner control against their evil souls in a conflict that could take this corrupt, haunted city and dump it deeper into hell. That is, unless his devoted daughter stops him first.

The story of monsters and mobsters, corrupt police and crumbling tombs is now collected into a massive trade paperback. In one 36-hour period, Monstros City will be ripped apart by gang warfare and rioting monsters. It will be snared in dirty politics and dark magic. And for the first time, a stitched-together creature called the Frankenstein Mobster will stalk the streets seeking deadly justice.

Includes many extras, additional art and comics, new story pages and detailed behind-the-scenes information as well as deviant art by Adam Hughes, Mike Wieringo, George Freeman, Michael Avon Oeming, Scott Morse, Angelo Torres, Alex Nino and Bernie Wrightson.

Collects Frankenstein Mobster #0-7.

256 pages, $19.95 (signed hardcover $39.95), in stores on Feb. 9.

FREAK SHOW

Written by Bruce Jones, art and cover by Bernie Wrightson.

A humble man, lonely at heart, seeks out the world's rejected souls, taking these misbegotten outcasts under his wing in a traveling show of oddities. In his kind yet lonely journey, this man of compassion also seeks something else: someone to love, someone willing to return all the kindness he's shown his less-fortunate troupe of oddities. When he finds that someone, his life is complete...until her pregnancy. When she gives birth to the couple's very own oddity, the new father's fury at God and the world for such a betrayal drive him to a state of revenge and hatred that reveals his true inner selfa self his traveling troupe wreaks its own twisted revenge upon.

"Casualty of War." A daring daylight bank heist orchestrated by the malevolent Mafioso Pinstripe leads to tragedy when a young boy risks his life to save Minuteman. Can our star-spangled soldier return the favor before time runs out? Plus, when the minions of a mysterious new foe infiltrate the Freedom Fortress, the newest members of the team learn the meaning of pest control as they face the Terror from Beneath.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 16.

THE GIFT #10

Written by Raven Gregory, art by Tyler Kirkham, Marco Galli and Jason Keith, cover by Tyler Kirkham and Jason Keith.

"Unleashed." The end to the first arc of The Gift. Pieces of the puzzle revealing the Ancient One's secrets come together. An overweight high school boy learns firsthand the price of being different, and an ancient evil, unlike any seen before, rears its ugly head in the world of The Gift.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Feb. 9.

THE GIFT #1: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT

Written by Raven Gregory, art by Tyler Kirkham, Marco Galli and Brian Buccellato, cover by Tyler Kirkham and Jason Keith.

All-new printing,The ground-breaking, sold-out first issue is reprinted here with an exclusive new wraparound cover by Tyler Kirkham, with a complete behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Gift. Follow the book from its inception to exclusive design sketches to breakthrough Image title. When a barkeep receives a simple pearl, nothing can prepare him for the changes it will bring or the terrible price that comes with it. It all begins here.

48 pages, $3.99, in stores on Feb. 2.

INVINCIBLE #21

Written by Robert Kirkman, art by Ryan Ottley, cover by Ottley and Bill Crabtree.

Return to Midnight City! Cast in the shadow of perpetual darkness, Midnight City lost its sole protector to Omni-Man, Invincible's father, as part of his plot to take over the world. Now many months have passed since the original Darkwingıs death, and there's a new Darkwing in town. Invincible is curious to find out just who this guy is.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 9.

KANE, VOL. 5: THIRTY-NINTH TP

Written, art and cover by Paul Grist.

Rico Costas is only a two-bit villain, but heıs managed to make himself the target of The Blind Man: a legendary hitman who tracks down his victims by listening to their heartbeats. The only safe place for Rico now is inside the cells of the 39th Precinct of New Eden. Only problem is, Rico's got a court order preventing the police from coming within six feet of him. Collects Kane #19-25 of the crime comic originally published by Dancing Elephant Press. Never before published in one volume,

168 pages, black and white, $13.95, in stores on Feb. 16.

LIONS, TIGERS & BEARS #2

Written by Mike Bullock, art and cover by Jack Lawrence.

"Fear And Pride," Part Two. If Joey thought moving to the next town was bad, what's he going to think when he realizes he's been transported to another world and that his stuffed animals have come to life? The only thing he knows for sure is he wants to go home. But to do that, Joey must accompany his stuffed animals--Pallo, Venus, Ares and Minerva--on a journey to see the Stuffed Animal King. Once they arrive at the fabled Crystal Castle, though, Joey discovers getting home might not be as easy as he'd hoped.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 23.

LULLABY: WISDOM SEEKER #1

Written by Mike S. Miller, art and cover by Hector Sevilla.

Lullaby is an all-ages romp through the fantasy worlds of children's fiction. This story focuses on beloved characters of childhood yore. Join Jim Hawkins, Alice, Pinocchio, Little Red Riding Hood and the Pied Piper as they join forces to stop a dark magic warping their world and discover who is behind the evil scheme. You'll never guess who the bad guy turns out to be in this fun-filled adventure.

"Wisdom Seeker," Part 1. A strange force has been twisting the magical world and making its way toward Wonderland. Alice, who has become the right hand of the Queen of Hearts, sets out to find out what this dark magic is and perhaps find her way home in the process. Readers are also introduced to Jim Hawkins, proud, independent, adventurous...and fired. A pirate without a ship, Jim's never been one for taking orders, and that lands him on his own, but not for long. Pinocchio, once again a little wooden boy, tags along and invites Jim on a whole new adventure.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 2.

MORA #1

Written, art and cover by Paul Harmon.

This is the life of the most ruthless and powerful witch in history. But even Mora was once a very sweet child. A strange and dark world will be revealed as we witness the birth of a witch.

³All Beasts Will Show Their Teeth.² There is something very special about Mora. A strange and beautiful world seems to present itself to her, but when Moraıs curiosity gets the better of her she learns quickly that some things are better left unseen.

32 pages, black and white, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 2.

NOBLE CAUSES #8

Written by Jay Faerber, art by Fran Bueno and Ron Riley, cover by Bueno.

This is it. Rustyıs temperıs been rising for too long. Heıs stranded on an alien world, on a mission he never wanted to go on and separated from his girlfriend whoıs lost somewhere with his sworn enemy. Rustyıs had enough, and heıs taking it out on Venture! Meanwhile, back on Earth, a very dangerous patient escapes from the Percell Psychiatric Hospital with one thing on his mind: Gaia.

32 pages, $3.50, in stores on Feb. 16.

PvP #15

Written and illustrated by Scott Kurtz, cover by Kelsey Shannon.

Francis Ray Ottoman is looking to produce his geek masterpiece: the ultimate fan film! But how can he hope to combine the greatest sci-fi movies, television shows and comic books into the greatest tribute film of all time on such a shoestring budget? Not without a little help from his friends.

32 pages, black and white, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 23.

SAVAGE DRAGON #123

Written, art and cover by Erik Larsen.

"Attack From Iraq!² Weapons Of Mass Destruction, Part Two,
For years the Dragon has depended on his regenerative powers to keep him alive. Now those powers are gone and he's getting weaker by the day. So just how is he supposed to face his biggest challenge ever? Plus another back-up yarn written by Larsen and drawn by Frank Fosco.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 23.

SAVAGE DRAGON SPECIAL EDITION BUST

Erik Larsen and Clayburn Moore have teamed up for another Savage Dragon product. If you missed the regular Savage Dragon Bust, then don't miss out on the special Artist Proof edition of the green-hued hero. Right out of battle in shredded shirt and covered in wounds, the Indomitable Dragon stands unbowed. Complete with a beautiful art piece signed (original signatures by Larsen and Moore) certificate of authenticity and limited to 500.

$59.

THE SEVENTH SHRINE #2

Written by Robert Silverberg, art and cover by Anders Finer.

Murder has many motives, and in the mystery of the archaeologist slain in the ancient ruins of Velalisier, the Pontifex Valentine suspects that those present are withholding the key to the puzzle. As Valentine explores the rubble of the eerie Seventh Shrine and discovers the ghosts of Majipoor's past, he manages to discern the killer's identity and intent. But can he capture the killer before he becomes the next victim?

56 pages, $5.95, in stores on Feb. 16.

SHE-DRAGON #1

Written by Erik Larsen, art and cover by Franchesco.

The ever-sensational She-Dragon fights for survival in a deadly dimension where monsters dwell and creatures are on the loose! She-Dragon has a quest: to get across Dimension-X to Mr. Glumıs planet in hopes of finding her way back to Earth. A thousand dangers stand between her and goal, and surprising allies come to her aid. Featuring the malevolent menace of Killmore the Cruel! The return of Savage Dragonıs son, Malcolm Eugene Jackson Dragon! As a bonus: a sneak peek behind the scenes featuring a look at creator Erik Larsenıs layouts for this project.

48 pages, $5.95, in stores on Feb. 16.

SMALL GODS #7

Written by Jason Rand, art and cover by Juan E. Ferreyra.

"Dead Man's Hand," Part Three. Psychic con-artist Bobby Pope is running out of places to hide. His
on-and-off girlfriend Lucy "The Nail" Naylor grudgingly takes him in, but when Detective Theodore Irvine and his corrupt cops track them down, the suburbs of Denver erupt into a war zone. Their only hope is to run, but Irvine isn't about to let them go that easily. Not everyone will escape the resulting high-speed chase unscathed.

32 pages, black and white, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 23.

SPAWN #143

Written by Brian Holguin and Todd McFarlane, art by Angel Medina and Danny Miki, cover by Greg Capullo.

"Devil to Pay," Part Two. The light of heaven vs. the flames of hell! The powers of Heaven and Hell square off as the Redeemer battles Spawn in order to protect the witch Nyx from Spawn's revenge, and to exact a bit of revenge of his own. But there may be more hanging on the result of this melee than either side realizes. Meanwhile, the terrible bargain Nyx made on her journey to Hell unexpectedly comes due.
32 pages, $2.50, in store on Feb. 23.

ULTRA #7

Written by Jonathan and Joshua Luna, art and cover by Jonathan Luna.

"Seven Days," Part Seven. Welcome to the 77th Annual Superhero Awards. Who will win "Best Superheroine?" And more importantly, what will she wear?

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 16.

THE WALKING DEAD #17

Written by Robert Kirkman, art by Charlie Adlard, cover by Tony Moore.

Rick snaps.

32 pages, black and white, $2.95, in stores on Feb. 2

WILDGUARD: CASTING CALL TP

Written, art and cover by Todd Nauck.

The cameras are rolling for the auditions of a new made-for-TV superteam: WildGuard. Hundreds of superheroes will try out, but only five will have what it takes to make the team...if they survive! Join a host of heroes through the agony of competition and unforeseen dangers, as they hope to be selected by a panel of judges, including the mysterious Producer X.
This volume collects the popular first WildGuard mini-series featuring the exciting origin of the team. Collects WildGuard: Casting Call #1-6.